Why do Americans hate Iran?

The most positive development to come out of Iran’s post election protests — the re-branding of the Iranian people in the eyes of the rest of the world, especially Americans — has apparently been squandered. A new Gallup Poll says that Americans now see Iran as the worst country in the world. How it can be seen as less favorable than North Korea boggles the mind, but with only 10% of Americans viewing Iran in a positive light it seems as though a new military operation in the Middle East may not upset as many US citizens than had been assumed.

The only option I see is for more Americans to come to Iran and decide what it is they hate so much. Is it the rugs? Or maybe the caviar? Perhaps it’s the young population that is overwhelmingly pro-American? Incidentally that group of people is intelligent enough to draw distinctions between a society and the government that rules it. I guess Gallup is not in the business of nuance, though.

While there are many arguments against travel to Iran the ones often used about countries like Myanmar and Cuba, specifically that buying the local currency props up the regime by giving it American dollars, simply doesn’t apply to Iran. There are many thousands of private businesses in Iran that would love nothing more than to see a few more dollars come their way and they’re keeping that money to themselves.

Questions about safety, especially given the case of the 3 American hikers who are currently still in custody after over 200 days, are mentioned regularly. The fact is however, that no Americans who have visited Iran legally in recent years, have reported any issues stemming from their nationality.

I continue to believe that citizen diplomacy is the only way out of our impasse with Iran. It’s working with Cuba: according to Gallup only 71% of Americans now hate our island neighbor.